Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

274 That a/l worldly things are but mere Vanirïes, Harts and Bucks,Bugles and fat fowls. He had fortis thou- fans! flails of horfes for his chariots, and twelue thoufaud horfemen. His pleasures alto were anfwerable to his honors Eeders:3.4. and riches, for looke what delights wit could inuent, or 1 °. wealth and power prouide,and he denied none of them vn_ to hitnfelfe,nor withdrew his heart from any boy, as himfelf teflifieth. He had feuen hundred Queenesto his wiues ,and three hundred Concubines; he built great works and (late- ly honks, bee planted fruitfull vineyards and pleafanrgar- dens,with goodly orchards furnifhed with all manner of fruites, hee had his fountaines and delightfull.fprings, his woods and fhadic groues,hisfweete mulick, and in a word, all the delights of the tonnes of men. Betides all which pri- txing4.z4. . uatcgood,he publikely ruled with peace and tranquillitie al his kingdomes,his whole life. He was.loued,feared.and ad- Chap3.zS. mired of all his people for his wifedome and iuflice; and that allo which is the io land comfort ofa good King,all his tubieós hued in greatprofherity vnder him. For al lvdaband C1121)4.2 5'. - 1 frae!dwelt tbithovt fèare every man wider his vine and vnder his f1 tree, from Dan even to Beerlbe64 all the dales of Salomon. By ail which it appeareth, that as neuer man-had the like wifedome,fo neither thclikeprofperitie and, abundance of all worldly bleflings. But hare after all his pompe and pro. fperity what teflimony he gineth to all there earthly things, and that vpon his owne experience. Vanitieofvanities, faith Eeclef r.t. the Treacher,vanitie of vanities,all is vanitie. Yea he conclu. and ?.5I.. ' deth afterwardsthat all is not only vanitie,6vt a f vexation of j irit,andthat there is no profit vnder thefunne. Ifa poore man though neuer fo wife, ora fcholer out of his knowledge and difcourfe had thus proclaimed the worlds vanitie, it might haue been deemed to haue proceeded from want of ex.. perience, becaufe they had neuer triall of them, or from forcemelancholike conceit,mouing them to conternne that which they had no hope to enioy. And therefore because we fhould take no exceptions againf this teftimonie, it bath pleated the Lord to teach vs this leffon by fuch an one as had not only moll wifedome to iudgeofthem,but alfo moll trial and experience of all chefs things, which the world'eRee,. meth